'Do what needs to be done': Chris Christie to travel to Israel as war rages on with Hamas

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is heading to Israel as the country remains at war with Hamas, the first Republican presidential candidate to visit the country since the war erupted last month.

The former New Jersey governor told a crowded room of voters at a VFW Hall in Merrimack, New Hampshire, that he needs to see what’s happening on the ground in the Middle East, saying he would leave tomorrow.

“I'm going to go meet those families, we're gonna go meet with the Israeli Defense Force soldiers, we’re going to meet with government officials in Israel,” Christie said.

“I want to see this for myself, because, if I'm going to continue to be a strong advocate for doing everything we need to do to defend Israel, I got to see it for myself," he added.

Christie also said he's aiming to “show the people of Israel, that one person running for president in the United States cares enough to get on an airplane and get over there and do what needs to be done.”

The former New Jersey governor and a group of his Republican rivals all expressed support for Israel Wednesday night during the third Republican primary.

“America is here, no matter what it is you need,” former Christie said he would tell Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

While addressing antisemitism on college campuses and across the country, Christie during the Wednesday debate also recalled his time leading New Jersey following Sept. 11, 2001, protecting synagogues and mosques with police presence.

"We developed fabulous relationships with Muslim Americans across the State of New Jersey and we stopped any hate crimes” against Muslims or Jews, he said. “You must work with both sides.”

Contributing: Riley Beggin, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christie goes to Israel as war rages on with Hamas: 'America is here'